Free Press and Access Now Urge the FCC to Get the Emergency Broadband Benefit to People in Need

Free Press and Access Now filed reply comments with the Federal Communications Commission urging strong and rapid implementation of the Emergency Broadband Benefit program. They called for the FCC to embrace overwhelming calls for ease of enrollment and program transparency, while rejecting misguided proposals to limit benefit utility, household eligibility, competition, or choice. The docket demonstrates strong support for minimizing verification burdens for eligible households, including eliminating requirements for invasive personal information such as the last four digits of an individual’s Social Security Number (“SSN”). There is also strong support for the Commission to provide regular reports on program uptake and disbursements, as well as lists of approved internet service providers and their available offerings and rates.